Morehouse College is again leading the way in technology-based learning and bringing innovation to the classroom. The HBCU has reportedly launched the world’s first fully spacial artificial intelligence (AI) teaching assistants. In 2022, Morehouse made history for being the first college to offer classes in the metaverse.
“These are different from chatbots because, one, they’re conversational. Two, they’re 3D, and you might just hear my AI TA speak Mandarin. The advantages to our AI TA’s is that it allows for personalized learning for every scholar on their own schedules. This is the first deployment of fully functional AI TAs. Morehouse College led with Metaversities, and we are going to lead the world in bringing in AI to the classroom. What we’re really trying to do with these AI TAs is bring joy back to the classroom. To ignite curiosity in our students and to get them to love learning no matter what time of day it is,” Morris explained in a video shared by VictoryXR on LinkedIn.
The technology was developed by Dr Muhsinah Morris, a senior assistant professor in education and “metaversity” director at Morehouse College. She partnered with VictoryXR to launch the Morehouse metaversity and to launch the AI TAs. Her project also received backing from Southern Company, Qualcomm, Meta, Unity, the National Science Foundation (NSF), and T-Mobile. Morris publicly debuted her AI TA in the US Department of Education’s Minority Science and Engineering Improvement Program director’s meeting.
Morris’ fully spatial TA has the unique ability to have a two-way conversation with a student while utilizing 3D models like molecules. Unlike other AI chatbots introduced in the field of education, it can converse in most languages and provide professors and teachers with a complete AI teaching package. Students can expect to receive support from the AI TAs, who will manage assessments and office hours, ensure 24/7 access, and offer 3D demonstrations. Beginning with the 2024 fall semester, Morris will teach a class with a spatial 3D AI TA.
“There’s no substitute for a great human professor, but my AI TA can teach and answer questions 24/7, enhancing accessibility when I’m not available. This technology also allows for additional office hours, freeing up more time for teaching, research, and one-on-one student engagement,” Morris said about the capabilities of her AI TA.
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Morris has been part of and leader of Morehouse’s Metaversity project since the Spring of 2021. She is a member of the XR Advisory Council for the XR Association and Futurist Council for Jobs for the Future (JFF) and founder of Metaverse United, LLC where she helps people find where they belong in the Metaverse. She hopes to transform the educational system for the next generation of leaders using immersive technologies in the Metaverse. Morris currently trains both pre-service and in-service educators on how to create and optimize their own institutional Metaverse Culture.